Stadium Luka Šokčević Šaljapin

Gunja, Croatia

Add To Collection

Other Projects by GEplus arhitekti

Add To Collection

Netherlands Embassy office

Stadium Luka Šokčević Šaljapin

Gunja, Croatia

Firm

GEplus arhitekti

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Stadium

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2018

SIZE

1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

BUDGET

$100K - 500K

THE FOOTBALL STADIUM THAT ENCOURAGES THE REVITALIZATION OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

In 2014 major floods hit eastern Croatia causing, among casualties, catastrophic damage to infrastructure, including football one.
Croatian Football Federation together with World (FIFA) and European (UEFA) Football Federation gathered funds for reconstruction of 5 football fields together with a new stadium which, today, represents a crown of the entire reconstruction.
Particular attention in this valuable project was devoted to the construction of a new stadium in Gunja as the center of gathering and interaction of the local community and the development of new generations of athletes.

The stadium in Gunja is small by its size, but its construction is of great importance for the local community. It has generated a comprehensive design approach that thoroughly explored contextualism, reviewing the typology of small football stadiums, integrating modern architecture and design into a rural landscape, making this facility larger than its physical size. The most prominent element of stadium's visual identity stands out in its main facade. It is made out of bricks and gives a monumental value given that the bricks originate from the ruined houses destroyed by floods. By selecting between 12,000 preserved pieces, the best preserved were used through special re-built technology.

The visual identity of the building arises from meeting the basic needs for performing sports function. The materials used are chosen in the spirit of this rudimentary functionality which is why natural concrete prevails in both interior and exterior. The building fits in perfectly with the rural landscape typical of Slavonija and Gunja village. It is the concept of the building that is characterized by fitting the building into the context of greenery and rural ambience.

Architects have recognized that this facility could be more than a classic renovation of a sports infrastructure in a small rural setting. From the beginning the building was considered as an important gathering place for the local community, but also as an interesting story that could be embedded in the building as a memory. The initiator of the architectural concept is the very cause of construction - a catastrophic flood that destroyed the old stadium and which was materialized through usage of bricks from the demolished houses on the facades of the building. But there are other facts that have influenced the development of architectural idea: this was the first stadium infrastructure built by Croatian Football Federation. Also, the budget allowed only the most basic functions of the building to be met, leaving minimal space for visual appearance of the building. This required great architectural creativity and engineering flexibility in order to, besides functional features, give the building also a visual value. The financial constraints have deprived the building of numerous technological elements, which are one of the characteristic of contemporary objects and focus was brought on the architecture and added value that it can bring to the local community.

The structure of the building was mostly influenced by the rural context and the location of the building situated in a green environment that can almoust be described as a park venue characterized by alley of high linden planted along the edge of the parcel in parallel with the lines of a football field creating a natural, green scenography seen from the stadium.

By designing the stadium to raise out of the field, designer creates symbiosis of architecture and the environment as well as symbolic memory of the event created by embankment brakeage.
The element which balances the entire composition of the building is designed in a shape of a concrete canopy in 'L' form with somewhat of a memorial character, which is additionally emphasized by the stadium inscription.

Photo credits:
Robert Leš
Marko Mihaljević
GE+arhitekti